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In the midst of the convoluted bumbling prevalent in the NHL’s latest labour fight, one thing is patently clear: Gary Bettman can never again hand out the Stanley Cup.

No longer can the man in charge of this laughable affair ever be allowed to step onto the ice to mar a ceremony he has tainted for far too long.

The fans loathe him and the players detest him, so why poison a great moment with his presence?

Even those who throw up mild defence of the longtime NHL commissioner by suggesting he’s just taking orders from the owners must admit he’s clearly the most hated man in sports today.

Whenever this sordid mess is resolved, how could the NHL possibly contemplate putting him front and centre when its treasured trophy is passed along?

Surely no one thinks it’s a good idea to have the presentation in the midst of annual boos directed at Bettman.

Given their hatred of him, I wouldn’t be surprised if future Cup-winning captains refused to shake Bettman’s hand or acknowledge him.

Even when the visiting team wins the Cup, the sadness and hostility of the losing team’s fans should give way to a loud salute as hockey’s kings are crowned.

Instead, even when the home team wins, there’s always a ridiculous round of boos as Bettman walks onto the ice, takes the mic and ruins the moment, if for only a minute.

It’s a minute too long.

Once the CBA war is over, let the debate begin on how they’ll start rewarding loyal fans with various reasons and incentives to watch again.

Replacing Bettman as trophy-presenter with ANYONE is a start.

The best way to do it would be to allow the winning team to pick who hands the captain the Cup.

Picking a franchise legend works best.

Should Calgary ever win, Lanny McDonald would be the obvious choice unless, of course, Jarome Iginla is retired.

Maybe fans could vote.

It’d be one heck of a debate in Edmonton, Montreal or even Long Island, where so many legends have played.

Would Marcel Dionne or Luc Robitaille have handed it out last year in Los Angeles?

Would Darryl Sittler, Frank Mahovlich, Mats Sundin or someone else hand it out in Toronto? Whether it’s Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull or Tony Esposito in Chicago, or Ray Bourque, Phil Esposito or Bobby Orr in Boston, the discussion leading up to the final games would also become part of the Cup tradition.

Either way, the results would be kept under wraps until the iconic player emerges to the roar of the crowd.

In some cases, the chosen presenter may not have won a Stanley Cup, meaning the ceremonial hand-off would double as his chance to be in the spotlight while under the glow of North America’s most famous trophy.

The league would undoubtedly want to have a say in the selection, so perhaps the decision would be made by a makeshift committee as the series nears a conclusion.

It could be a contentious issue in a city like Philadelphia where Eric Lindros, Bill Barber, Mark Howe and Bernie Parent would likely be passed over by Bobby Clarke, even though he’s in the Flyers’ front office.

Then there’s a place like Winnipeg, where a nod to Dale Hawerchuk would likely have some wondering if a more appropriate sentimental favourite would be Teemu Selanne, even if he’s an active player with another organization.

Would the Minnesota Wild consider inviting Mike Modano, even though he was only a player in Minnesota when they were the North Stars?

Availability would also be a consideration, as not every legend picked would be able to travel to every potential series-ending game. Others have suggested the captain of the previous champs would hand over the Cup, but how interested would a past champ who was recently eliminated from the playoffs be in travelling across North America for a meaningless handoff, in his eyes?

For various reasons, it would be evident every year that the winning team’s legend undoubtedly had earned the chance to be part of the ceremony.